Juliet
by Dangerous Combonation
Summary: Steve's sister, Juliet, comes to spend the summer with her brother and mom in Oklahoma, where she becomes immersed into the Greaser gang. One Greaser in particular catches her eye...
1. Her Return

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except new characters. **

**Okay, so here's the scene. This is set the summer after the book ends, but without Johnny's death. I'm a die-hard Johnny fan, and I just can't stand to write an Outsiders fic without him in it. **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 1**

The Return

Juliet slammed the door of her ford with more force than was probably necessary. She couldn't help it. Here she was in Tulsa again, the place she hated more than anything. She pushed her long brown hair back away from her face and surveyed the house she used to call hers. It was still the same old shade of faded gray, with the same old navy blue shutters around the same old dirty windows. The rusted chain link fence still separated the sidewalk from the overgrown lawn. The tree in the front yard even still had the tire swing she'd played on as a kid. With a sigh, Juliet mumbled to herself sarcastically, "Home sweet home."

No sooner had she picked up her backpack when the front door came flying open, and out ran a stocky boy of about eighteen, a smile plastered on his young face, crying, "Jules!" Juliet smiled back, a true smile, as he was the only reason she'd managed the drive out here. As he jumped the fence, she replied warmly, "Stevie." It was then that he came to a halt in front of her and hugged her tightly. She dropped her bag back on the pavement and wrapped her arms around his neck as he picked her up, swinging her in a big circle.

When he put her down he said, still smiling, "How's my big sis?"

She sighed and replied, "As happy as I am to see you, Steve, you know I don't want to be here,"

"I know, I know…but you've been gone too long. I haven't seen you in almost six years!"

"I know. Six long years."

"How's Dad?"

"Dad is…well, he's Dad. Where's Ma?"

"Kitchen. She knew how much you didn't want to come back, so she's trying to warm you up to the idea of spending your summer here by making you a cake. If you don't want it, I'd be happy to take it."

She bent down and picked her bag back up as she laughed and replied, "Keep your mitts off my cake, ya hear?"

He laughed and put his arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the front door.

Juliet was nineteen years old and, since the time she was fourteen, had been living in upstate Texas with her father. He had been a heavy drinker, and Juliet's mother had kicked him out six years ago because of it. After trying to stick it out with her mother in Oklahoma, Juliet finally called it quits and went down to stay with her father. She hadn't been back to Oklahoma since then, and hadn't seen her younger brother, Steve, since the day she left.

It was hard for Juliet to be away from her brother for so long. He was only twelve when she left, but they'd had a close bond since he was born. They'd written letters to each other over the years, but it was still the most difficult thing Juliet had ever done, next to coming home, that is, to be so far from him.

They'd reached the front steps at this point, and Juliet had to take a deep breath before walking up to the front door. Steve got there first and opened it, calling inside, "Hey, Ma! Look what I found!" Down the hallway came Alexandra, a smile just as big as her son's spread across her cheeks. She reached out to Juliet and said, "My baby!" Juliet tried to keep her own smile bright as she hugged her mother lightly.

"So... How's Richard?"

"Dad's good, Ma."

"Still stuck in the bottle, I imagine?"

"He's still drinking, yeah. But not as much as before."

"Well he can do whatever he likes now he's not in my house. Come on in here and let me take a look at my daughter!" She opened the door wider and led Juliet inside her old home. They took a left and ended up in the living room. Alexandra stepped back and gazed upon her two children, standing side by side.

From the time Steve was four, everyone told the two siblings how alike they looked. The same was true for present day. They had the same blue, misty eyes, and the same thick, wavy, brown hair. Steve was taller than Juliet's 5'8", but that was their only main difference. Their faces were both heart-shaped, and their smiles were identical. It was remarkable how twin-like they appeared, especially when they stood side by side.

"Well just look at my two babies. Twenty and eighteen. All grown up."

Steve smiled and put his arm around Juliet's shoulders again. As she wrapped her own arm around Steve's waist, she had to admit that it _was _nice to be back in some place familiar. Alexandra continued, "You're staying in your old room, obviously, dear. I just put new sheets on the bed and everything. Oh, we're going to have so much fun this summer while you're here, Julie! I've been thinking for weeks about everything we're going to do. Oh, it's just so good to have you home! Why you ever left is still a mystery to me. Perhaps Steve and I can convince you stay longer."

Juliet, starting to feel a bit uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going, took a step towards the door and said, "I'll just go get my stuff from my car…" She retreated back outside towards her car, glad to be back outside in the afternoon sun. Steve followed her out and quickly matched her stride. Juliet reached the car and opened the trunk. She started to reach in for her suitcase, but stopped when Steve put a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to him and smiled. He responded by pulling her into a hug and saying, "It's great to have you home, Juliet."

Juliet put down the last of her suitcases in her bedroom, which looked exactly the way it did when she left, and went back outside to lock up the car. Being gone six years hadn't made her forget what kind of neighborhood this was. She had just closed the trunk when she heard whistling. Turning around she saw an older boy, about the same age as her by appearance, strolling in her general direction, hands deep in the pockets of his leather jacket, whistling the Mickey Mouse theme song. She stared at him for a moment as he walked along the sidewalk. She turned back to her car as he drew closer. When he'd reached her he stopped whistling and said, "You know, it's not polite to stare at people when they're walking down the street."

Juliet, not looking at him, responded by saying, "Last I checked, manners were for the Southside Socs." She turned and stared him straight in his brown eyes, "You a Soc?"

"Not in a million years, doll face."

"Didn't think so." She passed him and headed towards the gate.

"And what made you peg me for a Greaser?"

"Oh, I don't know." She turned back around slowly before continuing, "The slicked back hair and the leather jacket…or maybe it was the look of anger on your face as you whistled the Mickey Mouse theme song. I'm sorry, but you can't be angry when thinking about Mickey unless you're angry about your life."

He took a step backward off of the sidewalk and on to the pavement and looked at her, as if looking at her for the first time. After a moment he said, "You seem familiar somehow. You new around here?"

"Definitely not new. I used to live here," she pointed to her house, "and then I left. I'm just visiting for the summer."

"How you know Steve?"

"Steve's my brother."

"Glory! Your brother?"

"Yeah. Name's Juliet Randle." She stuck her hand out in front of her. He took it and gently shook it, responding, "Dallas Winston."

Just then Steve came out of the front door. Seeing Dallas, he quickly made his way over towards the pair. When he reached them he said, "Hey, Dally. You met my sister?"

Juliet said quickly, "We just met."

Dallas smiled slightly and said to Steve, "Hey, how come you never mentioned a sister, Steve?"

"I don't know…everyone else knows her from before she went to Texas…" He put his arm around his sister's shoulders again and continued, "Guess she left before you got here…"

"Yeah, I guess so…"

Steve started pulling Juliet towards the house and said, "Come on, Julie. You and me still gotta catch up and all." To Dallas he added, "We'll be around the Curtis' later on tonight, okay, Dally?" Dallas nodded as the brother and sister headed back towards the house.

After dinner, Steve and Juliet headed over to the Curtis' house. Steve opened their front door and said, "Hey, everyone! Remember my sister?" They stepped inside and Juliet waved to the two boys sitting in the living room. They each lifted their arm and waved back. A big guy came out of the kitchen and said, "Hey, Steve. Who's this?" He smiled and motioned to Juliet. Steve responded, "This is Juliet. My sister. Remember, Darry?"

Juliet smiled as she recognized Darrel Curtis. Before she'd left, she'd had a big crush on Darry. She was only thirteen, and he was sixteen. He'd seemed so cool back then with his driver's license and older friends. She laughed now as she remembered how crazy she'd been for him. Darry smiled wider and said, "Julie? Is that really you?" She nodded as he pulled her into a hug. When he let her go she said, "Oh, Darrel Curtis. When did you get so big and strong?" They laughed as Darry's gaze traveled to the three boys staring at them. Steve opened his mouth to start the introductions, but Darry cut him off, "Hey, boys. This is Steve's sister, Juliet. Ponyboy, you were probably too young when she left to remember her, but Sodapop, you should remember her. She's only a little older than you."

The attractive boy in the farthest chair smiled and studied her before saying, "Oh, yeah! I remember you now, Jules!" Juliet smiled back and waved again, now recognizing Sodapop Curtis. The youngest looking one sitting closest to her looked a lot like Darrel and Soda, so she assumed it was their brother Ponyboy. She said to him, "Ponyboy, right?" He nodded and said, "I sort of remember you," he added apologetically, "but not too much." She smiled and said, "It's all good, Pony."

Sodapop chimed in, "You don't gotta stand there like a statue, Jules. Sit down." He stood and motioned to his chair, sitting down again on the floor. Juliet laughed lightly and made her way to the chair. Steve leaned against the wall and Darrel went back into the kitchen.

Soda reached over and switched off the T.V and turned to Juliet, saying as he did so, "So what have you been doing with yourself, Juliet?" She shrugged and said, "Just living, I guess."

"You been in Texas all this time? How longs it been, few years?"

"Six years. Six long years spent in Texas with my dad."

"So, why did you come back?"

Steve piped up, "Me and our mom convinced her to come spend the summer with us."

Juliet added, "I only agreed because I missed my little brother so much." She smirked and winked at Steve.

The front door opened again and everyone's heads turned to see Two-Bit Matthew walking in. He raised his arm and waved cheerily saying, "Hey, everybody!" His eyes passed over Juliet twice as he scanned the room before he realized that he didn't recognize her. He pointed at her and said, "Who's the Steve look-alike?"

Steve said to him, "That's my sister, Two-Bit! Don't you remember her?"

Two-Bit thought for a moment and then smiled widely before saying, "Julie!"

Juliet laughed and stood, heading over to him. She stood in front of him, smiling. He looked her up and down and said, "I usually prefer blondes, but years have been good to you, Jules."

She laughed again and said, "I usually prefer a guy who's smooth, and years haven't changed you a bit, Two-Bit."

It amazed Juliet how easily the Curtis' fit her into their life. She'd been at the house for twenty minutes, but it felt like she'd never left in the first place. Already the gang was joking and laughing with her as they watched T.V. They all seemed to be glad for her reappearance, and she had to admit that she didn't hate it, not by a long shot. Who would think that she would joking and laughing, dare she say _happy_ in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It wasn't long before the front door opened again, and in walked Dallas Winston. He had the same scowl on his face that Juliet remembered from earlier, and wondered aimlessly why he always looked so…well, pissed. The boys all looked over when he came in and called out their greetings before turning back to the television. Dallas headed over to the couch and stood over Two-Bit, glaring at the top of his head. Two-Bit suddenly looked up and saw Dallas standing over him and asked, "What?" Dallas' eyes narrowed and shot a deliberate look to the floor. Two-Bit sighed, stood up, mumbling as he did so, "Don't know why you always got to take my seat…" He sat back down on the floor, and Dallas plopped down on the couch. Juliet scoffed, a little louder than she intended. Dallas' angry eyes shot to her face. He asked coldly, "You got a problem?"

She fought to conceal her surprise from her face and replied, "Nope, no problem at all."

"Well then, why don't you just keep quiet then?"

That blew her cover. Her eyes grew wide and mouth dropped open. She was utterly speechless, and always having something to say was a quality Juliet was proud to have. She didn't even think to be angry. Sodapop, who was sitting on the floor beside Juliet's chair, looked over to Dallas and said, "Hey, man. Don't be a jerk." Dallas rolled his eyes and scanned the room. Seeing someone was missing, he asked, "Where's Johnny?"

Ponyboy spoke up, shrugging as he did so, "Dunno. He's not down at the lot, so he must be home." Dallas sighed, which Juliet found to be an oddly human act, considering the demeanor in which he carried himself. He stood up and said, "I'm gonna go find him." With that, he walked out of the house.

Darrel came into the living room from the kitchen and asked, "Was that Dally?"

Sodapop responded, "Yeah. He's gone out to look for Johnny."

Darrel nodded and settled himself in the spot Dallas had been sitting on the couch. Juliet, finally clearing her head, said, "I remember Johnny. He's the small, dark-haired one, right? About Steve's age?" Steve nodded and replied, "Yeah, he lives down the street. His parent's don't get along, though. They fight a lot, and he usually ends up in the middle. Dallas is probably gonna make sure he's not getting beat up on."

"What's he care for? I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't want Johnny getting hurt. But Dallas doesn't exactly seem like the most…compassionate person."

Soda looked up at her and said, "Aw, don't get him wrong, Jules. Yeah, ol' Dally's not the most loving person. But he's had a hard life. The only soft spot he's got is for Johnny."

"Why?"

Darrel shrugged and replied, "We're not quite sure. Maybe it's because they've both had a hard life. But we all love Johnny. There's just…something about him. Even after everything, we still love him." Juliet wanted to ask what he meant by "everything", but sensed that this was not the place, so she nodded and turned her attention back to the T.V. As hard as she tried to keep her attention focused on the glowing, flickering screen, her mind became full of Dallas Winston and his dark, cold, staring eyes.

**AN: **

**Well, there it is. Chapter 1 of my newest baby. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I am enjoying writing it. Please review and tell me what you think, it'd be greatly appreciated. **

**Love always, **

**Dangerous Combonation **

**I know it's misspelled. It was on purpose, though I can't remember the reason behind it. **


	2. Adjusting

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything, except Juliet. **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 2**

**Adjusting**

Days seemed to fly by. Before anyone knew it, Juliet had been in Tulsa for three weeks, and seemed to be adjusting quite nicely. She spent the majority of her time at the Curtis' with her brother. She liked it there, it was friendly and fun. Best of all, it wasn't home. She had to give her mom credit, though. Alexandra was trying her best to keep her only daughter comfortable and happy. She didn't pry and she didn't set many boundaries. She did ask that her and her brother, Steve, were home by a reasonable hour, but she didn't wait up for them.

Juliet appreciated this. It was her mother's strict attitude that made her leave all those years ago. She'd always considered herself a free spirit, and didn't like having bounds put on her. She wanted to be an eagle, bold and free, not a dove locked up in a cage, docile and obedient. Her biggest fear about coming back to Tulsa was that nothing would have changed, that her mother would still impose all of her rules and requirements. It put her mind at ease to realize that this wasn't the case. She decided to attribute it to that her mom didn't want to see her unhappy here again.

Juliet had met Johnny, the quietest and most thoughtful member of the group. She liked him right away, remembering what Darry had said. _"We all love Johnny. There's just…something about him."_ She couldn't have said it better herself. She tried to think of why it was so easy to like Johnny, but she couldn't put her finger on it. He had a heart-wrenching smile, bright eyes, and everything he said was dripping with politeness and sweetness. Juliet had immediately noticed the marks on his arms, and wondered if they were burns, but she didn't ask. He didn't talk much, and that was a nice change of pace for her. The rest of the gang, especially Soda Pop and Two-Bit, talked non-stop. It was nice to have a friend who was content with silence…but wasn't a cold-hearted jerk.

Juliet hadn't seen hide nor hair of Dallas Winston since he'd left that first night. Johnny had stumbled through the door about fifteen minutes after his departure, but had no words to say about where Dallas had gone. He hadn't been back since. When she'd asked about him, Soda and Steve both assured her that this was normal for Dally. He would disappear from time to time, go party and hang out with Tim Sheppard and that gang, then come back to check on Johnny and the rest of them. The more she heard about Dallas Winston, the more she loathed him. The group tried to vouch for him, especially Johnny, saying that he was "an all right guy, once you get to know him." But all Juliet saw was a rude, inconsiderate, arrogant pig. She hoped he'd stay away for a good long while, so he wouldn't come and rain on the happy parade she was currently marching in.

Along with being a free spirit, Juliet also considered herself a tomboy. Her favorite thing had always been playing football. This was another thing Alexandra had not approved of, and another reason she had left. This time around, her mother had no objections to spit out, so Juliet played football with the boys whenever she could get a chance. One of those chances was on a warm, rainy summer afternoon.

The teams were split up three to three; Darry, Steve, and Ponyboy against Juliet, Sodapop, and Two-Bit. Johnny opted to sit back and watch under the big oak tree in the lot. The game had just started, and Juliet's team had the ball. Soda was quarterback, so when he called it, Juliet and Two-Bit went racing down the impromptu field. Darry took off after Two-Bit, Ponyboy after Juliet. Steve stayed back to try and tackle Sodapop. Just as he was about to go for the lunge, Soda threw the ball in the air. It sailed down the field right towards Juliet. She glanced to her right and saw Pony was only a yard away. She glanced up at the sky towards where the ball was coming and suddenly shot forward, sending mud flying, reaching her arms up. The ball landed in her outstretched arms, and she tucked them around the ball protectively, still surging forward with all of her strength. She didn't stop until she'd crossed the invisible line into their decided end zones. Soda and Two-Bit both cheered loudly, and Juliet laughed, collapsing onto the ground.

Steve ran down the field towards her, worried she may have been hurt. He stopped, however, when he saw that she was rolling around in the mud, laughing hysterically. He chuckled and little bit, too, and slowed down to a walk. He heard Johnny laughing softly from the sidelines. Darry smiled, and Ponyboy finally started laughing. Steve reached Juliet on the ground and looked down at her, a huge smile spread across his face. He asked, "Why are you laughing?"

Juliet choked out, "I haven't had that much fun in years! That felt—so good!" She started laughing all over again. Steve rolled his eyes. Just then, they heard a voice call out, "What's so damn funny?" Juliet recognized the voice and stopped laughing instantly. The lot was eerily quiet for what seemed like an hour.

Steve, only a moment later, and still smiling, "Hey, Dally. You wanna play?" Dallas considered for a second, glanced down at Juliet, still on the ground, and replied, "Yeah, why not?"

Darry looked at Ponyboy and said, "You sit out, Pony." Pont started to protest, but Soda interrupted, "Go on, Pony. I'll play for a bit, then you can tap me out, okay?" Pony shrugged and went to sit next to Johnny. Steve helped Juliet up with a grin. She tried to brush herself off, but it was useless. Dallas was walking a few feet ahead of her, and she stared at his back. He suddenly turned around and said, "Staring isn't polite, you know."

"Did you turn into a Soc all of a sudden?"

He chuckled slightly and said, "Why don't you go sit on the sidelines? This is a man's game, sweetheart."

"Oh, we'll see about that."

They set up in position. Dallas' team had the ball, and he decided to act as quarterback. He called it and immediately backed up, looking for an opening to throw. He noticed Steve was open and aimed back to throw it. Next thing he knew, he was on the ground and someone was on top of him. He blinked a few times and stared up into Juliet's face. She smirked and said, "Still a man's game?" He shook his head as she got off of him. She called out to the guys behind her, standing over Dallas and smiling, "I believe that's a sack."

Juliet walked inside the house and stretched. Her jeans, white t-shirt, and black converse were covered in mud, and all she wanted to do at this moment was shower. She started for the stairs when her mother called from the kitchen, "Julie? Steve?"

"Just me, Ma. Steve went over to the Curtis'."

"Oh, well that's fine. Will you come in here for a second?"

She sighed and trudged towards the kitchen. Her mom was sitting at the table, cutting coupons out of the newspaper. She looked up and took one look at her daughter before practically shrieking, "Juliet Eve Randle! Why on earth are you covered in mud?"

"I was playing football with the guys in the lot…It was rainy…"

"You know I don't approve of you playing football with those boys." Juliet thought to herself, _I spoke too soon._

"Why not, Mom?"

"You could get hurt! And just _look_ at how _dirty_ you are!"

"Mom, I'm better than half the guys. I won't get hurt. And getting dirty is just a part of life." She added silently, _The best part._

Alexandra sighed and said, "I wanted to ask how you were enjoying your time here. Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, it's okay. Steve's friends are cool."

She stood up and headed towards the kitchen sink, saying, "Have you thought about staying here longer?"

"What do you mean, longer? Like, through the fall?"

"Well, yes. I thought you could stay, maybe go to the University of Tulsa, or get a job…"

"Mom, we can't afford college. And I don't know if I want to stay. I hadn't thought about it…"

"Well, I want you to consider it."

"Where would I live, Mom? I'm not going to stay in this house forever, you know. I'm twenty, I'll be twenty-one in 2 months."

"We can cross that bridge when we get to it, honey. Just please consider all of the possibilities!"

"I have been here for three weeks. Let's get through the summer first, okay? Then we'll talk."

Her mom smiled, eyes beaming, and replied, "Go take a shower, dear."

Juliet nodded and turned around, heading for the stairs. She raced up them before she could be ambushed again and didn't stop until she'd closed the bathroom door.

Throughout her shower, all she thought about was staying here. Did she want to live in Tulsa for the rest of her life? Not in the least bit. Did she want to stay close to Steve? With all of her heart. It was going to be a tough decision…but she wasn't going to worry about it now. She'd get through the next two months here, and then she'd think about it. Why stress over something so far away?

Juliet pulled her wet hair back into a braid going down her back. Shehadn't bothered to clean her black Converse Chuck Taylors, because she knew nothing would get the mud stains off of the white racing stripe. They were like her babies, her favorite thing in the world. But she shrugged it off anyway. They looked better if they were worn properly. She slipped on her light blue jeans, a black t-shirt, and a jean jacket. It was easy, it was simple, just the way Juliet liked it.

She called a goodbye to her mother before bounding out of the front door. She ended up at the Curtis' house, as expected. She sat down, like she was one of the guys, on the couch next to her brother, ruffling his hair as she did so. She looked around and asked, "Where's everyone else?" Ponyboy, Johnny, Sodapop, and Dallas were all missing. Steve shrugged and flung an arm around her shoulders, replying, "Soda had a date. Johnny and Pony went to the movies. No idea where Dally is." Juliet didn't say anything, just looked up at the clock on the wall. It was seven o'clock. Steve got up and flipped on the T.V and headed into the kitchen. He came back a few minutes later with two root beers in his hands. He sat back down next to Juliet, handing one of the sodas to her.

Juliet stared aimlessly at the television, not really watching. She half-laughed whenever she heard Steve laugh, so he wouldn't ask her what was wrong. Nothing _was_ wrong, really. She was just taken off guard with how no one was around. It was just Steve, Two-Bit, Darrel, and her. It seemed awkward. Maybe not for Steve, but for her, it definitely was. Suddenly the almost empty room seemed too crowded. She stood up and said, "I'm going to go for a walk." She headed towards the front door.

Steve started to stand as he said, "I'll go with you."

She replied quickly, "No, that's okay. I'll be fine. I won't be gone long." She smiled at him appreciatively and opened the front door, calling back, "See you later, guys."

She closed the door behind her and leaped down the front steps. Opening the front gate, she thought about how good it felt to be outside. If there was anything she missed about Oklahoma as much as she missed Steve, it was the cool summer nights. They weren't too cold, and they weren't too hot. They were right in the middle. The brisk night air swept over her face and she sighed, breathing in the rich, pleasant scent that was an Oklahoma evening.

Reaching the sidewalk, she headed off down the street, away from the house and away from the lot. She thought about Texas, and how she couldn't do anything like this there. It was too hot, even after the sun went down. And she didn't like the neighborhood her dad lived in. If anyone thought _this_ neighborhood was bad, they should see the street her dad lived on. Crazy as it seemed, the Greaser neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma made her feel safer. Much safer.

She reached a crossroad. If she took a left, she'd be on Sycamore Street. A right would be Elm. She knew those were both dead ends, so she continued straight on Willow. She could see a house a few blocks ahead on the right with lights on in every window. It stood out against the darkness around her. There were a lot of cars out front, so Juliet assumed there was a party going on. She kept walking, anyway.

She was just passing the lit up house when the front door opened, and someone walked out. She glanced over, and saw the end of a cigarette light up. She kept walking past, glancing over at the dark smoking figure periodically. She was almost past the house when the voice called out, "It's not polite to stare." She stopped dead in her tracks. Even though she'd only heard it a few times, she could pick out that cold, empty voice from a mile away. She turned, a small smirk on her face and called towards the voice, "You know, that line's going to get old real fast." She heard a small chuckle, but couldn't see anything except the burning end of a cigarette. She continued to stand there, knowing this wasn't the end to the conversation. After a minute or two of just watching his cigarette burn bright orange, she called out, "So, something you needed?" She heard a sigh, and the orange tip was snuffed out. She heard footsteps coming towards her and braced herself.

Suddenly he was there, less than a foot from her, glowing underneath the streetlamp, "No, nothing I need. Something I want, yeah."

She cocked and eyebrow and took a defensive step back, replying, "Watch yourself, Winston. I tackled you earlier; don't think I can't do it again."

He shook with silent laughter and looked above her head, seeming to be off in his own world. He finally met her eyes and replied, "That is not what I meant, doll face. Although…" He looked her up and down. She narrowed her eyes and said, "If that's all, I'll be going." She started to turn away, but he grabbed her shoulder and turned her back around. She gave him an incredulous look. He smiled and said, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry."

Her eyebrows raised in surprise, and she said quickly, "Excuse me?"

"What?" His eyes shown with confusion.

"Did I just hear the words, 'I'm sorry' come out of your mouth?"

He shrugged, completely indifferent again, and replied, "Yeah, well."

She smiled and said, "Who would've thought…" He shrugged again and looked away. She gave a short laugh and said, "What, did I touch a nerve, big tough man?" He was still silent. She rolled her eyes and said, "Alright, thanks for the apology. Does that help?"

He rolled his eyes, slightly annoyed, but still a little playful, as he said, "You're funny."

"Woah, take it easy there, buddy. An apology and a compliment in less than two minutes? My head just can't take it." She smiled.

He sighed and said, "Can I say anything without you damaging my ego?"

She shrugged and said, "You can try. No promises." There was silence again. She decided to break it, "So, what are you doing out here?"

He glanced behind him and replied dryly, "Just some friends, hanging out."

She nodded, sensing an end to the conversation nearing, and said, "Well, I should probably get back." He nodded and said, "I'll see you around, kid." She walked past him, in the direction of the Curtis house. Thinking of something, she stopped and turned her head, calling back to him, "Don't call me kid."

He cracked a smile and replied, "Whatever you want, doll face."

**AN: **

**Note #1: The street names? Totally generic and I made them up. I tried and tried to find the street address of the Curtis house, but I am convinced that she never wrote it into the book. If anyone's a The Outsider's trivia buff and knows the address of Ponyboy Curtis, please let me know. ******

**Note #2: I tried very hard to keep the dialogue time period. Please, tell me if you think it sounds too modern. I will time travel it back an ickle bit. **

**Note #3: Thank you so much to my amazing reviewers! I think there are a total of…maybe 4 of you. However, I don't care. You all made me write this out, and made this story sort of come alive for me. So, jolly well done for you all! And thank you to those who added my story to their favorites. That also made me smile. **

**Note #4: PLEASE REVIEW! Thoughts are ALWAYS appreciated. I love constructive criticism, ideas and what you want to happen, what you enjoyed, what you didn't, etc. So, REVIEW! **

**Love always, **

**Dangerous Combonation**


	3. Frustration

**Disclaimer: Don't own too much. The plot, Juliet, and that's about it. **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 3**

**Frustration**

Later that night, Juliet lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She tried to relax and concentrate on sleep, but the image of a cigarette, burning in the darkness, made her eyes snap open. Why was she thinking about Dallas Winston? So far, he had been nothing but cold and downright rude to her. He deserved no space in her thoughts. So…why was she giving him one? Why was Dallas Winston keeping her up at night?

She went over their conversation from earlier in their head, playing through each look, remembering each scarce smile. Why was he nice and friendly when it was just them, but defensive and silent when others were around? It just didn't make sense. She sighed in frustration and turned on her side, facing the wall. She would put Dallas Winston and his stupid remarks out of her mind. She finally fell asleep, thinking of playing football with the boys.

The next two weeks went by, but Juliet didn't seem to notice. The boys and her played football in the afternoons, and hung out at the Curtis' in the evenings. Her days were fun, her nights peaceful. Dallas hadn't come around much. He dropped in occasionally and checked on Johnny, gave a scowl to Juliet, and then hurried out without so much as a backward glance. But what did Juliet care? He meant nothing to her.

One afternoon, she was sitting on the front steps of her own house, reading her favorite book, _Jane Eyre_. She hadn't felt like going to the DX with Soda and Steve, and sitting around the Curtis house alone didn't sound like a barrel of monkey's either. So she'd settled on reading outside in the warm sun. She'd just gotten to the part where Jane meets Mr. Rochester for the first time when an unpleasantly familiar voice interrupted her focus, "Good book?" She glanced up and saw Dallas hopping over the fence and striding towards her. She frowned and rolled her eyes before replying, "Yes, actually, it is."

He stopped and sat on the brick steps beside her and asked, "What is it?"

"Nothing you've ever heard of, I'm sure."

"Try me."

"_Jane Eyre_."

"Ah, Charlotte Bronte. Not bad, not bad at all."

She was stunned, and her face definitely showed it. She sputtered out, "You've read _Jane Eyre_? Are you kidding me?"

He replied, "No…what, I can't read from time to time?" She didn't say anything, just continued to stare at him with a look of utter disbelief on her face. He finally said, "Well don't look so surprised…"

Juliet finally found her words again and replied, "I'm sorry, I just can't…picture you…reading. Especially not reading _Jane Eyre_."

"What's wrong with _Jane Eyre_?"

"Nothing, it's my favorite book. I just can't see _you_ liking it."

"Why not? I don't look like I can read or something?"

"No, you're taking this the wrong way. I'm just saying, you don't strike me as the reading type. And definitely not the _Jane Eyre_ reading type."

He smiled slightly and replied, "And what's a '_Jane Eyre_ reading type', huh?"

"Well, smart, intellectual, feministic…maybe even a little philosophical."

"And I don't strike you as any of those things? Not smart, charming, intellectual?"

She laughed shortly and responded, "Charming? Who said anything about charming?"

"Alright, alright, I was joking. Seriously, though. You don't think I'm smart, intellectual, or feministic?"

"Hah! Feministic? You? You told me to keep quiet that first night at the Curtis house, with just a hint of an "a woman is to be seen and not heard" attitude. And then there's playing football with you. Oh, I'm sorry. Playing "_a man's game_" with you. You could not be any less feministic."

He didn't respond for a minute. He finally shrugged and stood up. He looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm sorry," before walking away. Juliet's stomach flopped. She called out to him, "Another sorry? Wow. What's this one for?"

"You're reading _Jane Eyre_, so you've got to be intellectual and smart, right? You can figure it out."

He hopped back over the fence and strode across the street, never once turning around. Juliet stayed on the front steps, her face frozen in a look of shock. She thought to herself, _"What the _hell_?" _

That night in the Curtis living room, Juliet sat in between Steve and Soda on the couch. Her mind was in a daze. As hard as she tried to fight it, she couldn't get Dallas Winston's eyes out of her head. Those dark, brown eyes with their long lashes. She stopped herself before she went any further and settled into the couch deeper, trying to immerse herself into the conversation between Sodapop and Steve.

"No way, man, the Rocket 88 is way faster! The Chevy Corvette's engine _pales_ in comparison!" Steve was practically shouting.

"So the engine on the Rocket is bigger, that doesn't mean it's better! The Corvette has better acceleration, and matches the Rocket for top speed. Plus the body on the Corvette is way better!" Soda argued back.

"You're crazy, Soda! No way the Corvettehas higher acceleration. And what does the body have to do with a race, huh?"

"I swear it does!"

"Oh yeah? Where'd you learn that?"

"It's just a known fact! Face it, Steve. In a race, the Corvette would totally smoke the Rocket."

"I will believe that when I see it."

Juliet smiled and ruffled Steve's hair. He turned with a smile and winked at her. She said quietly, "For what it's worth, I think the Rocket's better, too." She winked back as he smiled wider and flung his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a hug.

That next week, Juliet was lying on her bed, still reading _Jane Eyre_. She didn't dare go read outside, afraid she'd catch the attention of an unwanted visitor. She'd gotten so used to the silence, she jumped a little when a knock came at the door. She called out, "Come in, Ma." She knew Steve wouldn't knock. And besides that, he was at the DX again with Soda.

Alexandra came in and smiled before sitting on the foot of the bed. She asked, "You enjoying your book?" Juliet nodded and replied, "Yeah, it's just as good as the last 36 times I've read it." Alexandra laughed and said, "I'm sure it is."

There was silence. Juliet finally broke it, "Was there something you needed, Mom?"

"Oh, just wondering when you were going to decide if you were staying here or not…"

Juliet groaned, shoving her bookmark into the book and tossing it onto the floor. She replied, "Not this again!"

"What do you mean, 'again'? I haven't brought this up in at least a month."

"Which means I've still got a month and a half left here. Give me some time, Mom!"

"Well, just think about it, Julie! Think of all the possibilities! You'd stay close to Steve and all of your new friends. You'd be out of that neighborhood your father lives in. You'd be back home! It's the right decision!"

"Right or not, I don't want to make that decision right now. You'll have to wait."

"I wasn't asking for a decision right this second, Julie. I just wanted to know when you were going to do the decision-making!"

Juliet laughed dryly and got up off the bed, grabbing her leather jacket, and answering as

she did so, "How's August 31st sound to you?"

"Would you be serious for one minute, _please?_"

"Mom, this is the exact reason I left. You are over-bearing, and you're suffocating me. I can't handle it."

"I'm not suffocating you, Juliet. I simply asked a question!"

"And you're trying to pressure me into making the decision that _you_ want! It doesn't matter to you what _I_ think or what _I _feel. What matters is that you get your way. That's the way it's always been. I was stupid to think anything had changed." She left the room and hurried down the steps, trying to take as little time as possible. She opened the door and headed outside, sliding into her black leather jacket. As she opened the gate and stepped out into the sun, away from the cooler shade of the trees, she immediately shrugged out of the jacket and tossed it on the other side of the fence. She knew no one would steal it here.

She headed down the street, not caring where she went. She didn't understand how that conversation had turned into a fight. It had lasted for maybe five minutes! She just didn't understand why her mother couldn't leave her be. She was twenty years old, for Christ's sake, she didn't need her mother butting into her life.

She was so absorbed in her inner rant, that she didn't notice the person walking in her direction until she'd plowed right into him. She immediately snapped back into the real world and cried out, "Glory!" She blinked a few times and looked at the person she'd run into. He was tall, with dark hair and bright green eyes. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans with black Converse. He was staring at her, but not angrily. It was more of a look of confusion. He asked, "You okay?" She replied quickly, "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you okay?" He nodded. She continued, "Jeez, I'm sorry."

He shrugged, smiled, and replied, "Don't worry 'bout it. It's all good. What's your name?"

She sighed and smiled, holding her hand out as she answered, "Juliet. You?"

He shook her hand and said, "I'm Mark."

"You new around here?"

"Yeah, kind of. I lived here for a while when I was younger. We just moved back last week."

Juliet smiled and started walking again, motioning for him to follow her, "Ah. So where'd you move to?"

"Which time?" He laughed.

She paused and said, "There have been many?"

He laughed again and said, "Only about twenty-three in the last twenty-one years that has been my life."

"Wow, that's quite a hefty list."

"The first place I remember being is Kansas City, and then here. Then we moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, but that didn't last long. Then came Houston, Texas for about a year. Then Richmond in Virginia, Tallahassee down in Florida, then back up north to Rhode Island in Providence. That was all in the space of a year and a half. Then we came back to Texas in Dallas. Then comes Boise, Idaho, Des Moines, Iowa, and Louisville, Kentucky. One important thing to remember about Louisville, don't mispronounce it," He laughed. Juliet smiled, enjoying listening to him ramble. He continued, "Then we moved to Nashville, Tennessee, the country music capital of the U.S. Then it's up to Rochester, New York, then back south into Charleston, South Carolina. I haven't been back to the East Coast since then. After that, we went to Albuquerque, New Mexico, then Helena, Montana, and Ontario, Oregon. That was the longest time I spent anywhere. A year and a half solely devoted to Ontario. Finally we get to where I just moved from, Salt Lake City, Utah. And now I'm here."

Juliet's head was spinning. There was no way she would ever remember all of those cities, and she had no idea how he could. She finally asked, "Why do you move so much?"

Mark stopped smiling and said, "My mom's got some issues. Mainly with men."

Juliet nodded and replied, "I understand. My dad's got problems with women. But he doesn't move around to get away from them."

He laughed again before replying, "We should set them up. Maybe they'd straighten each other out."

Juliet laughed shortly before answering, "That could work, if my dad didn't live in Texas."

"Ah, Texas. The only state other than Oklahoma where I've ever lived more than once." This time, Juliet joined him in his laughter.

They reached Juliet's front gate. She pointed at the house and said, "This is my house. I should probably go inside. But I'll see you around, okay?" Mark smiled and nodded. She smiled widely at him before turning and walking to her front door, picking up her discarded jacket along the way. She turned on the top step to wave to Mark, but he'd already started walking back the way they'd come. Disgruntled, she went inside and to her room.

**

* * *

AN: **

**Hey guys! Sorry this took so long. I was in this theatre competition, so I was concentrating on that. But here is chapter 3! **

**Note #1: Like my **_**Jane Eyre**_** reference? I read it in 10****th**** grade. I just picked some classic novel for Juliet to read, nothing too fancy, but nothing generic. Hope you liked. **

**Note #2: I'm anticipating questions about Mark, this new guy. About what, I can't be sure. But do you guys hate the idea of him being around? This was just a little teaser about him. He will be in later chapters, but I haven't quite decided on how much yet. So, let me know if you like him or not!**

**Note #3: I don't know if any of you watch Gilmore Girls, but I got the entire series for Christmas. And throughout the past few chapters, I've based Dallas off of Jess, and Alexandra off of Emily Gilmore. Just a little bit, though. In Gilmore Girls, Jess is to Rory what Dallas is to Juliet. He's a jerk when they're around others, but when it's just them, he's a genuinely nice guy, and the macho-man-façade melts away. And Emily Gilmore is to Lorelei how Alexandra is to Juliet. Always has the best intentions, but doesn't understand that her daughter doesn't want the same things she does. Anyway, just thought I'd point it out. **

**Note #4: Some of Dallas' behavior will get explained better at some point. The why's of his actions get explained, but not for awhile. **

**Note #5: Thanks to my few reviewers and favorite-story-adders! You really helped keep my spirit up! I love you all! **

**Please, please, please, PLEASE review! I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions! **

**Love always, **

**DC**


	4. A Breakthrough?

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything. **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 4**

The next day, Juliet woke up in a good mood. The sun was shining into her bedroom, she could hear a few birds outside, and she felt more rested than she had her entire visit. She felt chipper, and really excited to start the day. She aimlessly wondered what brought on her good mood as she headed to the bathroom to take a shower, but decided not to push her luck.

After she had showered, dressed, and eaten a quick breakfast, she grabbed Steve by the arm and bounded out of the door, heading in the direction of the Curtis house. Steve was still chewing the last bite of his cereal as he asked, "What's with the rush, sis?" Juliet shrugged and said, "Just didn't want to waste any more time indoors! It's a beautiful day, don't you think?"

Steve responded quickly, "Yeah, it is…of course, we're heading to the Curtis's…and that's indoors…"

"Oh, I have no plans of sitting in the Curtis's living room all day! We're going to get them out and about!"

"What's gotten into to you, Jules? You're…not like yourself."

"How so?" She smiled at him.

"You're just not usually this…happy…"

"Are you saying I'm a depressed slob all of the time?" She playfully hit his shoulder.

He grimaced slightly and chuckled before replying, "No, you're not always a Debbie Downer…but I've never seen you so like a…a…Happy Harry!"

Juliet laughed and said, "A what?"

"You know…a Happy Harry…like Debbie Downer only…not sad…"

Juliet laughed and rolled her eyes, opening the front gate at the Curtis house. She leaped up the stairs and pulled open the door, calling out, "Oh, Curtis boys!"

She stopped dead on her tracks, and her good mood sank to the floor, when she saw Dallas Winston sitting on the couch, smirking at her.

Juliet composed herself as Steve came through the door behind her and said, "Where's everyone?"

Dallas shrugged and replied, "Not sure. I think Soda's still asleep. Or, he was until that wake up call a few minutes ago." He smirked at Juliet, who promptly blushed and headed through the room towards the kitchen. She heard Dallas and Steve strike up a conversation as she crossed over the linoleum threshold. There, she saw Darryl standing in front of the stove, wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt. She cleared her throat so he'd know she was behind him. He immediately turned, smiled, and said to her, "Good morning, Jules! You want some bacon?" He motioned to the frying pan he was standing in front of.

She shook her head and responded, "No, thanks, Darry. I already ate."

"Oh, come on, Julie. I've seen you eat before. You don't ever stop." He smiled at her.

She laughed shortly and said dryly, "Yeah, well, I just lost my appetite."

He stared at her, confused at her remark, turned the heat down on the stove and sat at the kitchen table, motioning for her to do the same. After she had sat across from him, he asked, "What's wrong?"

She sighed and said, "I don't really know. I woke up in this great mood…"

"And you walked in here and suddenly you're not...?" She nodded, and Darry appeared to be thinking. Suddenly he asked, "Would your sudden bad mood have stemmed from who was in the living room?"

Juliet blushed again, which Darryl look as an affirmation. He asked, "What's going on between you and Dallas?"

She replied quickly, "Nothing! Nothing at all! I just…I don't like him, so my mood got shot down when I saw he was here is all…"

Darry looked at skeptically, as if he didn't believe her story. However, he seemed to sense that she didn't want to talk, so he stood up and said, "You know I'm here if you want to talk, Jules." He smiled a genuine smile at her and went over to the closed door leading off from the kitchen. He knocked a few times and called out, "Soda? It's time to get up!" Juliet heard a muffled reply from the bedroom and smiled slightly.

She sighed and stood, saying to Darry, "I'm going to go for a walk. It's too gorgeous out to be indoors. I'll come back over later, and we can all go play football or something in the lot. Okay?" He smiled at her, and she turned around, walking back through the living room. She waved at Steve and continued out the door before he could ask where she was going.

She reached the sidewalk and paused, thinking about where her destination should be, and wishing she could find that good mood again. It had been such a calming, hopeful feeling. She took a deep breath, and a tiny glimmer of the enthusiasm with which she had woken up with drifted back towards her. She smiled and started across the street, heading towards the lot. She had barely reached the other curb when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned quickly and saw none other than Dallas Winston standing in front of her, grinning like a stupid idiot.

When Juliet came walking into that door, Dally's first reaction was surprise, and it quickly turned into that same feeling he always got when he looked at her. It was a warming sensation in his stomach, and it immediately made him happy. Her smile, spread wide across her face, was such a radiant sight, he hated that it fell as soon as she saw him. And then it turned to a scowl as she quickly composed herself from the shock of seeing him.

And then she was heading to the kitchen, and Steve was plopping onto the couch next to him, asking him some question. He barely listened as Steve rattled on and on, answering politely, or nodding his head at the appropriate time. He just couldn't focus on Steve's words…all he could think about was how quickly her beautiful smile and changed into a deep frown at the sight of him. He didn't understand her hatred of him. He'd been nothing but nice to her, hadn't he? _I mean, I couldn't be a little sweetheart when the gang was around. That'd make me look like a wuss!_ So, he'd acted like he normally did around her, all the while thinking about those gorgeous eyes, and that soft, shiny hair.

It seemed like no time had passed until Juliet came strolling back through the door, careful not to look at him, but waving at her brother. And then she was out the front door, and he could hear her footsteps on the porch steps. Without even thinking, he stood up and headed towards the door. Steve called out behind him, "Where you going, Dally?"

Without turning around, he called back, "I'm gonna go check on Johnny. Make sure he's not beat up too bad." He didn't look to see if Steve bought his story, and he didn't care.

In the next instant, the door was closed behind him and he was trotting down the sidewalk, watching her walk across the street. And then he was tapping her on the shoulder, smiling and hoping to see her smile back at him.

Juliet stared at him for a moment before finally asking, "Can I help you?"

"I was just wondering where you were going. You hurried out so quickly, I didn't get a chance to ask." He smiled widely at her, but she refused to smile back.

"I'm going to the lot."

"What for?"

"Just felt like walking! Is that okay with you?"

He shrugged before replying, "You mind if I walk with you?"

She rolled her eyes and started to turn away, "Yes, I would mind." She started walking away, thinking, '_The nerve of him!' _He stood there for a moment, before taking off after her.

He caught up to her quickly and said, "Good thing I don't take 'No' for an answer, huh?"

She sighed and asked, "What do you want from me, Dallas?" She said his name as if acid were pouring out of her mouth. She couldn't stand him, and she didn't care if he knew it or not.

"I just want to talk to you, Jules."

She stopped and cried out, "_Don't _call me _Jules!_" He stopped, and slowly turned to her. He didn't say anything, and Juliet lost it, "You have been nothing but a _jerk_ to me the entire time I've been here! I did _nothing _to you, and you treat me as if I'm the scum beneath your feet when everyone's around! And then, you're going to try and be _nice_ to me when we're alone? You're going to try and be _friendly _with me and call me Jules? I don't _think _so! I'm _done_!" She stormed off ahead of him quickly, cursing under her breath. She prayed to God he didn't follow her, afraid she would lash out even more against him.

Then, from behind her, she heard him call out, "Will you just talk to me?"

She paused, but didn't turn around, calling back, "What is there to talk about?"

She heard his footsteps getting closer to her, but she still refused to give him the satisfaction of turning around. She could feel tears of anger springing towards her eyes, but she wouldn't let him see her cry. Never would she let Dallas Winston see her cry.

He reached the spot she had stopped at, and faced her. He looked into her eyes, and her heart melted. He said, "I'm sorry, Juliet."

"And I'm supposed to believe that because…?"

"I mean it. I don't apologize very often, I'm too stubborn. But here I am, saying that I'm sorry. You're right, I shouldn't be such a jerk."

She thought for a moment. He sounded sincere, and she could feel herself breaking beneath those dark as night eyes. Before she could think any further, she said, "Apology accepted. Can I go now?"

"Will you let me walk with you?" She nodded slowly, but folded her arms across her chest as she stepped around him and continued walking. He followed her quickly.

They walked in silence for a minute, Juliet trying to regain her composure and rebuild the defensive walls that had started to crumble when he stared at her. Finally he turned his head to look at her and asked, "Why'd you come back to Tulsa?"

She was surprised at his question, but responded, "Um, well…I just…wasn't happy in Texas anymore. My dad was never around, the neighborhood was just…not good. And I missed Steve."

He nodded and said, "Those are good reasons."

"Um…thank you?"

He laughed slightly, then quickly turned his head to look ahead of them, his face turning into a mask of stone. She studied his profile. He had strong, sharp features. His nose was pointed, and his jaw line was pronounced. There was nothing soft about the face of Dallas Winston. Juliet doubted if there anything soft about him at all. He suddenly turned back to her and said mockingly, "It's not polite to stare." She blushed and smiled before turning her face away, staring at the playground at the far corner of the lot. She could feel Dallas smiling next to her.

They paused in their walking and stood at the far edge of the lot, both casting long looks across the field. Dallas suddenly turned to her and asked, "Why do you hate me?"

She was stunned. She turned to face him, taking a step back, and replied, "I don't hate you."

"Then how come you frown whenever you look at me?"

"Well, I mean—" She suddenly stopped, hearing her name being called. She looked around, and finally found the source of the calling behind Dally's shoulder. Mark was a little ways down the filed, strolling towards them, calling out her name and smiling. She raised her hand and waved. Dallas turned around and asked her, "Who's that?"

"That's Mark."

Dallas was quiet as Mark reached them. He gave a small nod to Dallas before looking at Juliet, smiling again and saying, "Hey, Jules." Dallas immediately felt a rush of heat through his entire body. He_ can call her Jules, but _I _can't? Who the hell _is _this guy?_

Juliet answered him, "Hey, Mark. How are you?"

"I'm good, just taking another walk around the neighborhood, trying to get away from Mom's constant nagging." He laughed before continuing, "Funny seeing you out here again." He shot a glance towards Dallas, who had remained silent, staring at Mark with the most obvious contempt. Juliet quickly said, "Mark, this is Dallas. Dallas, this is Mark. He just moved in down the street from me."

Mark stuck his hand out towards Dallas, who reached out and shook Mark's hand quickly. The boys exchanged serious looks. He could tell that Mark knew Dallas wasn't someone he should mess with. Mark turned back to Juliet and tried to strike up a conversation, and she answered him politely.

After a few minutes of listening to them talk and being silent, Dallas interrupted them, "I'm going to Johnny's. I'll talk to you later, Juliet."

She replied, "You don't have to go, Dallas."

Dallas shot a pointed look at Mark, who glared smugly and said, "Yeah, stick around for a little while."

Dallas returned the glare and said, "Thanks, but no thanks. See you later." He turned and walked away, fuming.

Juliet stood there, next to Mark, and watched him walk away, wishing he would come back. She didn't understand why she wanted him to talk to him so bad, but there it is. She turned and looked at Mark, who was watching Dallas walk away with a definite look of victory on his face.

He finally turned back to Juliet and said, "So, now that _he's_ gone, you wanna go for a walk?"

Juliet remained still. She turned to look back at where Dallas had disappeared. Finally, she responded, "Maybe some other time, Mark. I've…got some things to do." She felt guilty as his face fell, but she walked away anyway.

By the time she reached the sidewalk again, she couldn't figure out which way Dallas had gone. She could see Johnny's house from where she was, and he was no where near it. She sighed and continued on straight back to the Curtis's house.

**AN: **

**Note #1: So, it's a little bit short. But I mean, I just wrote it! I started writing at 11, and now it's midnight and I'm updating! So, all in all, I think it's an alright length. Not a very long space of time, but lots of important stuff! **

**Note #2: Like the caveman display at the end? Dallas and Mark silently facing off there? I liked it. **

**Note #3: I tried to put in some of Dallas's POV into this chapter. I started off just wanting Juliet's POV and her thoughts in the story, but then I decided I wanted you to get a taste of what Dally was thinking. Let me know if you like, and I'll consider adding in more of his thoughts. **

**Note #4: Thanks to my amazing reviewers! You guys make me smile, and make me feel really good about this story! **

**Note #5: PLEASE REVIEW! Reviewing keeps my morale up, which makes me want to write more, which results in more updates! So, PLEASE review and tell me what you think, what you want to happen, what you don't like so far, and all of that jazz. Thanks!! **

**Love always,  
DC**


	5. The Snap

**Disclaimer: Don't own anything except new characters! **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 5**

**The Snap**

A week went by, and Juliet didn't see Dallas at all. He wasn't at the Curtis house, or even checking in on Johnny. She looked for him around the neighborhood, but he seemed to have all but disappeared. This depressed her, and she had long since stopped denying why. She had feelings for Dallas. She couldn't lie to herself anymore about it. But what confused her the most was that she had thought he had feelings for her, too…but he was no where to be found. Why would you run away from someone you cared about?

_That's an easy one, Jules. Because you're scared. _And she was scared, too. She'd been running from him since the moment she met him, just not quite as literally. Juliet was more of a mental runner, a defensive runner. Her guard was always up, she hardly ever let it down.

As depressed as she felt because of Dallas' absence, she felt even worse about Mark. The way his face fell when she refused to hang out with him…how she'd been avoiding his looks whenever she saw him on the street for the past week…_Okay, maybe I don't feel _worse_…but I definitely do feel bad about that. _She smiled to herself at that thought.

She sighed, put down the book she'd been trying to read all afternoon, and rolled over on her bed, so she was lying on her back. She stared at the cracks and water damage spots on the ceiling, and saw his face. The spots were his eyes, his cold and dark eyes. The cracks, the hard lines of his nose and jaw. She let out a frustrated groan and sat up, throwing her legs over the side of her bed as she did so. Putting her head into her hands, she leaned over, trying to clear her head of all thoughts of Dallas Winston. _Get out of my head!_

She gave up after a minute, realizing quickly that her mental version of him was just as stubborn as he was in reality. She stood, stretched, and headed downstairs. She paused for a moment, listening for her mother or Steve. Hearing silence, she opened the front door and went outside.

It was cloudy and humid. _Late July weather always sucks_. She reached the gate and hopped over it without so much as a pause, and started walking in the opposite direction of the Curtis'. She didn't feel like pretending she was in a good mood today. Today, she wanted to be alone. She wanted to wallow and mope in solitude.

She glanced at the houses as she passed, noticing the dirty windows and broken stair railings. She paused in front of a brown, particularly unkempt one-story house, thinking about how pretty it would be with a new coat of paint and some flowers under the windows.

Suddenly, the front door opened and Johnny stumbled out. Before the door slammed shut she heard a deep voice shouting obscenities. Juliet's eyes widened as she waited for Johnny to notice her standing there. When he finally did, he gave her a small smile and headed over to her.

"How you doing, Julie?"

She shrugged and said, "I'm alright. How are you, Johnnycakes?" She smiled.

He returned her grin and replied, "I'm doing okay. Just living." She nodded in agreement. He continued, "What're doing?"

"Just walking. Trying to clear my head."

"Thinking about Dallas, huh?"

Her eyes widened and she stepped back. She stammered, "I—uh—what are you—no, I—why would you even—that's completely—"

"Jules, calm down. I ain't gon' tell nobody."

She finally found her words and replied, "There ain't nothing to tell, Johnny." He stared at her knowingly as she tried to hide her blush. She gave up and said, "Is it that obvious?"

"Hell yeah."

She groaned and put her hands to her temples, "Crap!"

"Relax, Julie. It's probably just obvious to me. I listen a lot more than everyone else."

"So you can tell that I like him?" He nodded. She continued, "And you can tell that he likes me?" He nodded again. "How can you be sure? Dallas is so rude and quiet around everyone, when he's even around."

"Not many people really understand Dally. He's…he's pretty deep into his own shell. Hell, it's the only way he knows how to survive. But if you knew him like I know him, you'd be able to see behind that front he puts up. My guess is, you know there's something more to him, or you wouldn't give a damn about him."

She nodded and considered this, feeling pretty happy that someone else thought he cared about her, too. She asked, "Do you know where he's been this week? I haven't seen him anywhere."

"I think he borrowed Tim's car and took off somewhere. He stopped by here on his way out, said he just needed out for a few days."

Her happiness fell a little. "When is coming back?"

Johnny shrugged before answering, "Probably won't be too much longer. He doesn't usually stay away for more than a week or so. Glory knows he's got to check in on me." He smiled and let out a short laugh. Juliet smiled, too, feeling hopeful that he'd be back soon.

"One more question, Johnny."

"Shoot."

"Do you think he'd ever let me in?"

Johnny thought before answering, "Well, as far as I know, he's never even really cared about any girl he's ever dated."

"Oh…" Her eyes fell to the sidewalk.

"But…I know he cares about you already."

Juliet looked up and saw sincerity in Johnny's eyes and gave him a small smile. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Johnny's neck. He hugged her back as she whispered, "Thanks, Johnnycakes."

Dallas stared at the road ahead, gripping the steering wheel tightly. _Forget about her, man. She doesn't matter. You don't need any woman in your life. _He shook his head and took his foot off of the accelerator, letting the car slow a little. It had been a week since he'd borrowed Tim Shepard's car and peeled out of Tulsa down the 44, heading to Oklahoma City. There hadn't been much there to see, and he had no reason to be there. He'd just needed to drive and get away from the greasers, the gang, the parties…and one certain blue-eyed female. However, as hard as he'd tried, he hadn't been able to get her off of his mind.

Now, Dallas was back on the 44, headed back to Tulsa. He'd been away for too long, and he had to check on things. And he had to see her. He had to talk to her, tell her he couldn't be friends with her anymore.

Juliet lay across her bed, reading another of her favorite classic novels, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. She was at the part where Mrs. Wilson gets hit by the car, when a flash of light lit up her dimly lit room and a roll of thunder boomed outside. Juliet jumped and let out a small cry. Closing the book, she got up and went over to the window. It was pouring rain outside. She couldn't even see the house across the street. _Guess those clouds meant business…_ She sighed and looked out at the rain, wishing she could see Dallas Winston walking by.

**(A/N: I usually hate author notes in the middle of a chapter, but I didn't want anyone getting confused while reading. The following is a conversation Juliet is having in her head with herself. Kind of like an argument with that sensible side that everyone has in them.)**

_Why do you care so much, Julie? What redeeming thing has he ever done for you?_

_He hasn't done anything redeeming or particularly amazing. He just…_

_Just…?_

_He makes me feel…I don't know, different. I get nervous and excited and warm. I get butterflies in my stomach whenever he looks at me. _

_Butterflies? You're willing to put your guard down and expose your vulnerability to some butterflies? Do you know how crazy that sounds? _

_But…why is it so crazy?_

_You know what happens when you let yourself fall freely into something you don't know is going to catch you. You end up hurt. And Dallas Winston seems like the perfect candidate for someone who will break your heart and walk away. Is that what you want?_

_Of course I don't want that. But am I going to run away from everything for my entire life? Should I really live my life so sheltered? _

_It's the only way to stay on solid ground. It's the only foolproof method to not getting hurt. _

_Life is like football. There are the players, who are out there playing the game and having fun and learning how to be better. They know they could get hurt, but they play on anyway. Then there are the spectators who stand in the crowd. They are perfectly happy living their life behind the fence, watching and cheering on those who play. And then there's the players on the sidelines. They want to be in the action, but they don't know if they're good enough or strong enough. They're waiting for a sure thing…but there is no such thing as a sure thing, and so they'll always be stuck there…waiting…wishing for something more. I don't think I want to be on the sidelines anymore. _

_And if you jump into that game of life, and the other team wins? _

_It's just a risk you have to be willing to take. _

_Are you? _

Juliet turned away from the window, unsure of how to answer her own question. Was she willing to take the leap? She sighed and started back over to her bed to continue reading. No sooner had she laid down and opened the book, when her light started flickering. She looked it for a moment, willing it to stay lit. _Please, electricity. Don't go out now! _And then, the lights went black. Juliet groaned and said aloud, "Great. Just great."

She stood up again and glanced out the window. The whole street was dark. She stumbled her way to the door and went out into the hallway, calling, "Mom? Steve?"

She heard a muffled reply from Steve's room, and then his bedroom door opened. Juliet couldn't see him, but she could tell he was standing there. She said, "So, the powers out."

"Oh, is it? I hadn't noticed." She could hear the smile in his voice.

Juliet called out again, "Ma?" From downstairs she heard, "I'm alright. I'm just looking for some candles."

Juliet called back, "We'll come help." She started slowly towards the stairs, hearing Steve's footsteps behind her.

By the time they reached the bottom, Alexandra was coming out of the kitchen, a glowing candle in her hand. She smiled and asked, "You kids alright?"

"Yeah, we're good."

Steve replied, opening the front door to look outside, "This storm is pretty bad."

Suddenly a flash of light lit up the street and house, and another crack of thunder sounded.

Juliet moved to stand beside Steve and said, "Yeah, it definitely doesn't look pretty outside. I'll bet the lots going to be flooded." Steve nodded and headed to the kitchen with their mom, mumbling something about finding some flashlights. Juliet stayed at the open door. She was staring in the direction of the lot when she saw headlights heading down the street. She rolled her eyes and said, "Who would be crazy enough to drive in this storm?" The car the headlights belonged to then stopped in front of their house. The lights shone brightly onto the hood of Juliet's own car. She cocked her head to the side and waited to see what the occupant of the car would do.

She saw a brief light and heard a car door slam shut. A dark shape was walking around the car and onto the sidewalk, then opening the gate and walking quickly up the path. She went out onto the porch, careful to stay under the covered portion, as the person stomped up the porch steps. She could tell it was a man, but she couldn't see his face because it was so dark. She could hear him panting, trying to catch his breath. Juliet reached behind her and put a hand on the door knob of the front door, ready to dash inside if need be. She asked, "Can I help you?" Before he could answer, there was a flash of lightening and another thunder crack, and Juliet saw clear as day the dripping, wide-eyed face of Dallas Winston.

Juliet gasped and cried out, "Dallas! What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you."

"In the middle of a storm? Are you crazy?"

"Maybe I am. I just had to come talk to you."

"About?"

There was another flash of lightening, and Juliet could see him shaking his head. He said quietly, "I don't even know anymore."

"Dallas…are you okay?"

Dallas practically yelled, "No! I'm not okay! I haven't been okay since the first day you got here!"

Juliet was silent, she didn't know what to say. Finally she said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? What are you sorry for?"

"For apparently making your life suck."

"You don't make my life suck, Juliet. I make my life suck."

"Then why haven't you been okay since I got here?"

Her eyes had adjusted, and she could see him a little more clearly now. His head was pointed at the ground, and he was obviously frustrated. Static electricity wasn't the only thing making the air around her feel tense. She asked again, "Well?"

"I have never once thought about a girl the way I think about you. You're always on my mind, your smile, your eyes, your laugh. You have a great laugh, you know that?" He laughed shortly and continued, "I have always been the stone cold wall. No one gets in, nothing comes out. And here I am, cracking up and going insane because of you!"

"Insane? That sounds kind of bad…"

He continued as if she hadn't spoken, "And the craziest part of it all is that I like it! I like this feeling of being insane over you! I actually am craving to see your brightest smile, to stare into your amazing eyes, to hear your gorgeous laugh, and to hold you in my arms and never let you go!"

"Dallas, I—"

"I came here to tell you that I don't think we can be friends, because I just can't take it. I can't stand by and keep wishing and wanting things I can't have. You know, I drove all the way to Oklahoma City and walked around for days. I saw tons of girls who gave me second glances that I knew I could have if I wanted to. But I just didn't care. I just wanted to come back to Tulsa and see you!"

"I'm confused. You don't want to be my friend, and you can't stop thinking about me?"

He ignored her again and continued, "On the drive back here, I planned out all of the things I would say to you. I was going to explain why we couldn't be friends and all about how I hate wanting something I can't have. And then it hit me."

"What?"

"Why can't I have you? What's stopping me? That idiot from the lot? My own ridiculous need to be unattached and without commitment? Because I don't think you feel the same?"

"I don't know—"

He cried out, "Exactly! I don't know!"

"Dallas, you're not making any sense. Why don't you come inside. It's pouring rain."

"I had everything planned out, Juliet. I had rehearsed it a million times. And then I saw you standing here in a flash of lightening and…it all went away." He took a few steps towards her, "I can't be friends with you anymore, Juliet." By now he was standing a few inches from her. Juliet could feel the warmth from his breath on her face. She looked up, trying to find his eyes in the darkness. Raindrops fell from his hair onto her face as he whispered, "But I can't stay away."

He reached out and took her face between his hands and leaned down, placing his lips on hers.

**A/N: Is it mean to end like this? I don't care, it's how I'm ending it. ******

**Note #1: So, I hope I didn't confuse you with my thought battle in the middle there, or with any of the thoughts in the beginning. I don't know if anyone's getting lost with my changes from regular to **_**italics**_**, and doesn't get that the **_**italics**_** are direct thoughts, so I thought I'd mention it. It's just kind of how I write. If it's too confusing, I'll consider changing my ways. **

**Note #2: Finally, we have some Johnny action. As I mentioned in the beginning, I'm a die-hard Johnny Cade fan. My ending of The Outsiders has him making a full recovery…and then falling in love with me, haha. So anyway, hope you liked that. **

**Note #3: I debated for awhile putting some Dallas POV into this chapter, and decided to give you a taste of what was coming. I didn't want to spoil the ending though, so I tried not to give too much away. **

**Note #4: If all of Dallas' speech there at the end sounds really confusing and messed up, that's because it's supposed to. This was his breaking point (hence the chapter title 'The Snap'. He basically lost it, and so I wanted to convey that. Hope my point was made. **

**Note #5: Thank you so much to my reviewers and favorite-story-adders! You give me inspiration and motivation to continue! So, please keep reviewing. If you haven't already done so at any point, PLEASE DO SO NOW! Feedback is ALWAYS appreciated and taken into consideration. I want everyone to leave this story satisfied, so if there's something you're not happy with or want to happen, please let me know. If I like it and it fits in with my plans, I'll consider adding it! **

**Anyway, that's it! Hope you enjoyed it! **

**Love Always, **

**DC**


	6. Answers

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. **

**Juliet**

**Chapter 6**

**Answers**

Juliet took a step back and stared up at Dallas. The awkward tension was unbearable. She tried to say something, anything, but she couldn't seem to get the words out. So, she stared, completely expressionless, at his face. He looked back at her, dazed. They stood this way until a roll of thunder crashed around them, and they both jumped. Dallas muttered something Juliet couldn't quite hear and turned around, hurrying towards the street. She wanted to call out to him, but her mouth wasn't listening to what her brain was shouting. He reached Tim's car, hopped in, and turned the key. It roared to life, but he didn't switch gears to drive away. He just sat there, idling. Juliet could feel him staring back at her through the rain. Finally, Dallas switched on the headlights and backed up before pulling away from the curb and speeding down the street. Juliet took a few quick steps to the edge of the porch and watched him go, wishing she'd said something.

That night, after the rain had died down to a sprinkle, Juliet lay in her bed. All she could think about was the rain dripping onto her face from his hair…his dark eyes…his soft lips, and everything that had come out of them. _Did that really happen? Was it a dream? _She rolled over onto her stomach, and played the memory back, over and over. Her stomach filled with butterflies all over again, and she smiled. Then she frowned as she remembered him driving away. _You're such an idiot, Jules! Why didn't you just say something?_ She closed her eyes and fell into a frustrated sleep, her dreams filled with Dallas Winston.

When Juliet woke up the next morning, she had bags under her eyes. She'd tossed and turned the whole night. After she'd sat down at the table with a bowl of cereal, Steve asked, "What's with you, Jules?" She shrugged and didn't answer. It was better if Steve just stayed out of the loop. When she'd finished her cereal, she put the bowl into the sink and said, "I'm going for a walk." She rushed out of the kitchen. Before she made it to the door, she felt a hand grab her arm. She turned and saw Steve staring down at her, worry painted all over his face. He asked again, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Steve. Don't worry about it."

"You're my sister, Julie. I'm going to worry about you. It's in the job description." She looked down at the floor and didn't answer. He continued, "Does this have anything to do with Dallas being here last night?"

She looked back up at him and quickly asked, "How did you know he was here?"

Steve shrugged and replied, "Dally's voice carries. And I'm not an idiot."

"Did you hear what we were talking about?"

Steve shook his head and answered, "I ain't no eavesdropper. Knew it wasn't any of my business. But I can guess." Juliet stared at him, waiting. He continued, "Look, Jules. We can all tell you guys have feelings for each other. Only God knows why you care about Dallas Winston, but there it is."

"Steve, I—"

"Julie, it's okay. You're like Johnny, you see something in him that the rest of us can't see." He laughed before saying, "Doesn't make me love you any less."

Juliet smiled at him for a minute before reaching out and wrapping her arms around him, whispering, "I love you, baby brother." He chuckled, wrapped his arms around her shoulders and replied, "I love you too, big sister."

They broke apart and Juliet said, "I am going for a walk, though. I have to clear my head."

"Do you want company?"

"No, that's okay. Thanks, though." She smiled at him, turned around, opened the door, and stepped out onto the front porch.

Juliet loved the smell of the outdoors after a good rain. Everything was so fresh, so clean. She set out on the sidewalk, no real destination in mind, playing the night before over in her head. She imagined all of the things she could've said, that she should've said, trying to figure out what was wrong with her, and why she just let him walk away. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Before she even realized it, she was at the lot. She strode over to a big oak tree and sank down to the ground beneath it, leaning against it. She could feel the wet mud through her jeans, but she just didn't care. She stared at the empty field in front of her, remembering all of the football games she'd played with the boys in her two months here. It was hard to believe that summer was going to be over in a little more than a month. She heard footsteps behind her and turned. There was Dallas Winston, stopped dead in his tracks.

She stared at him, and he stared back. Neither of them said a word or moved a muscle. Juliet's heart was racing, her stomach flying, her brain going nuts. After a few minutes she stood and walked towards him. After what seemed like an eternity, she was standing next to him, both of them looking out onto the lot. Neither said anything for a few minutes, and then Juliet said, "So, I guess it's my turn?" She could see his head turn towards her as he replied, "Your turn for what?"

"To spill."

"Juliet, about last night—"

"No, Dallas. You got your chance to speak last night. And unless you plan on telling me that you didn't mean a word of it, I want you to let me talk now." She looked over at him and he nodded. She gave a small sigh and looked back out at the lot before continuing, "I don't know what it is about you that makes my head spin…I've been trying to figure this out for weeks now, and the only thing that I can come up with is that I'm crazy for you."

She paused, expecting him to try and say something. Satisfied with the silence that meant he was doing as she asked, she went on, "This isn't like me…to lose face over a guy…" She sighed, "You know, we're a lot alike. We're not used to feeling, you and me. There's always been a wall around me…like you said, no one gets in, and nothing comes out. Somehow, you've…I don't know, you've climbed over my wall and are just sitting on top of it, making me feel uncomfortable with the idea that someone's figured out how to get in, but not actually being in…And, the thing is, this…discomfort, or whatever, really isn't that uncomfortable. I kind of like it."

She stopped again, trying to find her next words. She smiled slightly and said, "I guess what I'm really saying is that…I'm crazy for you, Dallas…I don't really know what I'm doing here, and I'm guessing you don't either…but I don't want you to stay away. I want you here, and my only hope is that you want me to be here, too…"

She fell silent, hoping he understood that she was finished with her monologue. They continued to look out onto the lot, silent, both lost in their thoughts of one another. And then, finally, without any warning, Dallas reached out and grabbed Juliet's hand and squeezed. She glanced at their hands, entwined together, then up at his face. He was looking at her, a smile in his eyes. She answered his dancing, shining eyes with a smile of her own. He then looked up at the sky and said, "You do have a beautiful smile, Juliet."

"Jules."

His eyes turned back to hers and he replied, "What?"

"You can call me Jules."

This time his lips joined his eyes in smiling at her. He reached over with his free hand, placing it on the small of her back and pulling her close. He looked down at her face and repeated, "You do have a beautiful smile, Jules." And then he kissed her.

"AWWWWW!"

Juliet broke apart from Dallas' lips as they both turned to see Sodapop, Steve, Two-Bit, Ponyboy, and Johnny standing in a line, staring at them, huge smiles plastered on each of their faces. Two-Bit yelled out, "Dallas and Julie, sittin' in a tree…" Steve, Soda, and Pony joined in, "K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

Dallas called out, fighting to keep his face cold, "Get outta here, you nosy Greasers!"

The boys, with the exception of the grinning Johnny, continued to sing, "First comes _love_! Then comes _marriage!_"

A smile was pulling at the edge of Dallas' mouth, while Juliet laughed.

"Then comes a baby in a baby carriage!"

Juliet, still laughing, clapped as the guys took a bow. Dallas sighed and said, "You finished?"

Soda called back, "Just answer one thing, and we'll leave you two _lovebirds_ alone."

Juliet answered, "Yeah?"

Two-Bit yelled, "Are you _together_ or what?"

Juliet looked at Dallas, he looked back at her. He then called back, "None of your business!"

They all shouted in varying forms of protest, "Oh, come on! That isn't fair!"

Juliet called back, "And what if we are?"

Pony said, "Then we'll leave you alone."

"And if we aren't?"

"Then you better stop making out in the lot!"

Dallas and Juliet both laughed. He called over, "Would you please just go away?"

One by one, the guys rolled their eyes and headed in the direction of the Curtis house. Juliet reached out and grabbed Dallas' hand again. He squeezed it and said, "I figured we should probably figure this out by ourselves, without those idiots gawking at us."

"Probably a smart plan. But, you know there's a clear view of the lot from the Curtis' living room. I guarantee they're staring at us through the window."

Dallas nodded and said, "Good call." He pulled her hand and started walking across the lot, away from the Curtis house, and all of the eyes inside it.

Later that night, Juliet and Dallas walked into the Curtis living room, still holding hands. Everyone was sitting around the T.V. When the door shut behind them, they all turned in unison to look at them, knowing looks plastered on their faces. Two-Bit spoke up first, "Guess that's a yes, then!" He laughed, and Steve threw a cushion from the couch at him. Then Steve turned back to the couple and said, "Well? You guys finally make it official?"

Dallas and Juliet both smiled, but said nothing. Then, Dallas suddenly turned Juliet and pulled her into a dip before kissing her. He pulled her back up to stand in front of him. He put his arms around her shoulders and she put her hands on his arms, her face flushing. Dallas cocked an eyebrow and said, "Official enough for you, nosy?"

* * *

**A/N:**

**Note #1: So…I'm sorry for not updating. I kind of fell out of my writing mood. And then I started writing again, and forgot that this story existed. I'm sorry. I'll try to keep updating. **

**Note #2: I considered ending here. But that seems short. So I plan on continuing for a little while. **

**Note #3: Officially the slowest I've ever let a romance blossom. Usually I have my characters jump right in, but I actually had some turmoil and some time pass here. Hope it was long enough of a jump? **

**Note #4: Please review! So I know I still have some readers!**

**Love Always, **

**DC**


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